The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-02-22
ply. received: We print itin the orig.
in.h, with 81 English translation.
kArSA'slrrExa. OsnrSAa,


, KArrSA'S tETrSR. ORIGINAL,
HANALxl. January - 1857.
n. I, Ls1r,sscs Esi,, kilSRea, Kauai. AIolzA
I = ~. no Seia fOar haole make ka rnikini /
I I'Ae1, = no Ia loihi loa "a ano PHI mai he ipo
/ sku, : - ''''''''' ''>''' - : '''~'
7 NolSlls, ina uS maopopo ia oakou ua make
7 IS Eaikini Slsilsi aols Ia make pOhihihi. no
I iAilS SSnu Skn no me ks kali ole.
OwSn ne, ]. h1KrSA.
kQnssera,
xAkrSA'S LErTKR. TRANSLATION.
HlNALE1. January - 1857.
/ W,R. Lssrrsaos ES,.. Kilarea. Kauai. DRGs
( STSS-1oDr letter came to hand this hour. ..
I M referring 10 those foreigners that were
I killed by the bursting Of the centrifugal, but
Z on account Of delaying so long in letting me
/ know Of il, and h&d weather, thorefoSe / will
/ net come
II u comes % yoIr understanding that they
0is0 by The bursting of the centrifugal. with
cut doubt. let them be buried without wait
in1, remain yours, ]. kAKTSA.
Cer0Rsr.
This precious document, an official
one be It understood, Is written in
pencil.
Mr.. kakina does not fall back upon
the time honored formula, sthe coro-
ner did not consider an investigation
necessary" Oh, mol He has struck
out an entirely new line. He tries to
shift the responsibility of his own
shoulders. He throws blame on the
plantaton manager for not letting
him know Of the accident sooner. But
he himself, sweeps away this excuse
when. in the concluding paragraph of
ms letter, he givesipermiSsion for the
bodies TO be buried. thereby showing
that be expected the bodies to be kept
unburied till the return of the messen-
ger. If the messenger could return
IN time. why not the coroner? But
there IS not really the shadow of an
excuse, for the coroner's duty was to
&c to kilauea under any circum-
stances. no matter when he was sum-
moned.
But Mr.. kakina had another excuse
handy: the state of the weather. He
was not going to plod twelve miles
through the wet, and risk the chance
of catching cold, merely to do his Off
eisl duty. If those foreigners" would
go and get killed, they ought to have
been more considerable of his, Mr.. IA
xmas feelings. and have managed to
expire near his door; then armed with
s rubber coat. a pair of goloshes and
an umbrella he might have been able
10 investigate the matter But twelve
miles ride in the rain-oh dear, no,
not to be thought of.
And then q brilliant idea struck Mr..
kakna's mind Mr. Lawrence could
do the investigating himself and save
Mr. hakina al the trouble. He says,
If it comes to your understanding
that they died by the bursting of the
centrifugal, without doubt, let them
be buried without waiting" From
the first paragraph Of Mr.. Kakina's
letter 1t Is very evident that there was
very little use in waiting, as the gen
tleman had expressed his intention of |
stopping at home What would have |
happened had 1t not come to Mr.. |
LsErence's understanding that the
men had died by the bursting of the |
centrifugal, without doubt?" Clearly |
the astute coroner meant that the |
bodies should be kept till the weather
was such as would suit him for trav-
cling. or till another and more per
message summoned him to
his duty
We have reviewed this case at
length because it so thoroughly bears
out our remarks Of February 1st. We
had shown how lax the coroner was in
We felt assured that eoun-
Try eoroners were far more lax AIr.
hakina's letter shows what wooden
headed animal he Is. and how utterly
ignorant and obliYious Of his official
responsibilities. The country districts
are full Of such officials. Men as
SoOden-hesded and as incapable as
Mr. kakina TEEN on every island
In this case q distinct wrong has
been done 10 the owners OF kiIauea
They should have been
cleared Of blame. This would
have been done had the coroner held
he inquest After viewing the bodies
he jury could have adjourned until
after the funeral, and then investi-
gated the machinery and questioned
he witnesses 4 legal finding as to
he cause OF death could then have
zen recorded That Mr. Macfe
should be much annoyed at the con
luct Of the coroner is not to be won
Tered at He has cleared himself and
rs plantation from blame by his own
but d legal verdict would
lave been more satisfactory.
We hope that this exposure of the
ways Of Hawaiian coroners viii have
he desired effect, and that for the fu:
IRE they viii be forced to their dutyl
len and women are hustled into the
Mound constantly, without inquiry.
AIRY out the law, IN this as In many
ther things, Is all We ask OF the Gov
rnment officials: but they too often
gROre the law; the example Is shown I
hem By the head OF the Government:
; II any wonder that the minor Off j
ials are only too ready to neglect :
heir duties. In the case under review ;